Melbourne Cup Day date for November public holiday

Ballarat City Council has voted to make Melbourne Cup Day the public holiday for November, 2021-2024. 

Due to extensive community consultation, Ballarat Show Day was voted as the  November public holiday for 2017-2020 but last year Melbourne Cup Day was gazetted instead due to COVID-19 causing the show’s cancellation. 

However, feedback from the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society – who run the Ballarat Show - indicated they will not be seeking Ballarat Show Day as the public holiday for the foreseeable future. 

Given Ballarat Show Day community support in previous consultations as the first preference, with Melbourne Cup as second choice, it is expected there will be community support for the Tuesday 2 November holiday, given the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society feedback. 

A Eureka Day to commemorate the Eureka Stockade was considered in past consultations but received little support.